Events, pictures, and thoughts from Elder and Sister Lenhard while serving for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Wisconsin, Milwaukee mission...

Friday, August 15, 2014

16 - Tuesday to Tuesday (Aug 5-12)

I start a new
numbering system today. Adam reminded me that I needed a way to organize my
posts. I’d actually been thinking that it was disconcerting to go into the
lists of my files and realize that I had to hunt to find the last one made so I
could begin a new one. Thanks Adam for being prompted to encourage me to do so
now, rather than later.

One of the things I
love about our Mission is that we do get to travel here, there and beyond. On
Tuesday, the 5th, we headed back to Kenosha, which is south of here.
It is a great drive if you go through the country, but Elder Lenhard loves to
take the “scenic” interstates. In all fairness, we had to be there by 9:30 and
had planned a two-hour training with Elder and Sister Linsley on Family Search.
It was then back to our City Branch for a District Meeting. I took my computer
because we had been told last week that the genealogy library at the chapel
would be closed. We didn’t think anything about it really and were under the impression
that the Linsleys knew the library was closed. When we arrived, they were
discouraged to find it closed and thought we were not going to be able to do
anything. It turns out that there was a public library around the corner, so
off we went. It was a productive morning as we tried to get in and point out so
many things that would make their work easier as they taught those in their
unit how to research and find their ancestors. Elder Linsley has now been
called as the Mission Leader, a teacher for the Gospel Principles class, and
something else. Haven’t many of us been in those kinds of situations? He is so
gracious, and you can just feel the love he has for the work he is doing.
Sister Linsley is such a support, but she laughs as she says she is hiding
behind the door as much as possible. When we serve in small units, we do what
has to be done. When we tell people that we have no paid ministry, I’m not sure
that they can even imagine the responsibility that puts on the members. This is
the Lord’s Church, and our service to Him includes giving all that we have to
further the Kingdom. I’m grateful for this time in our lives when we can devote
ourselves 100% to helping here in Milwaukee.

Our District
meeting that day was well done. Each missionary there got to tell about the
most spiritual lesson they had received during the last week. I, for one, never
really understood how missionaries worked together. When we get up to do
something, for the most part, we stand with our companions. I love that. My most
spiritual moment was a realization that when we are prepared, we truly do not
have to fear. On Sunday when we went to Kenosha and participated in that Sunday
School class about Elijah and Elias, I realized that I was not prepared for
that class. Elder Lenhard and I felt a need to stay hidden in the class because
we were surrounded by so many who were not only prepared but who were willing
to step forward and teach the rest of us. I knew some of the story from the Old
Testament, but I had not ever studied it and the ramifications for us. It made
me want to just stay there and be taught more. When the Spirit teaches us, it
makes us thirst after greater knowledge and understanding. I can imagine that
it must have been that way when we were in the presence of our Father in Heaven
before we came to this earth.

We were shown a
video at the meeting that really struck me. We see ourselves in terms of
yesterday and today, but the Lord sees us in terms of eternity.He knows what we are capable of becoming, our
biggest stumbling block is ourselves. I love that thought. I especially like
knowing that I am capable of becoming so much more than I am. If this mission
has taught me anything, it is that I am not where I want to stay. I want to
become the daughter that He recognizes.

Wednesday brought
with it a day at home. We are involved in reaching out to the Wards and
Branches in both the South and North Stakes to help the Family History
Consultants (FHC) reach out to new converts and get them to begin their family
history work. We have quite a few new converts this year, and we are including
all those who have been baptized in 2014. An email has gone out to all
Bishops/Branch Presidents asking for the names and contact information for the
FHC in their units. This day was spent compiling information, checking off who
we have heard from and whose information we are missing. I really love to put
together these types of worksheets, but I have to admit that after I had
started and restarted about six times (due to changing information and what we
wanted on the worksheet and what we received), it was getting old fast. I
finally came up with a sheet we can work with, but there are still some columns
that need work. We also realized quickly that several of the replies we
received were more along the line of “I’ll get the info to you” kind of thing.
I know the Bishops and Branch Presidents are really busy. When they have so
much to do for the unit they serve, it is easy to put away requests like ours
to get to it another time. We feel bad about having to contact them again, but
if we haven’t heard anything by next week, we will have to do so.

We also spent time
on getting contact information to write to those who do the bulletins for their
units. We needed to send out a blurb about the Pathway program. We now have
made a presence in every unit in both Stakes, and we are trying to encourage
those who are going to be registering for the program to sign up. Why is it
that people are such great procrastinators? I don’t know why I even ask that
question, because I am a perfect example of one who puts it off until the last
minute. I know I have to do something, but maybe not right at this minute. It
is a great blessing when I finally do whatever needs to be done, and I really
feel better. Then I chastise myself and say, “Why didn’t I do this earlier so I
could stop worrying about it?” Anyway, we are up to 18 people who have applied,
and we need 30. We check the lists everyday to find out who has completed an
application. Elder and Sister Phillips, who are service missionaries from their
unit, are in the lead for the program, so we have left much of the worrying up
to them as we have many other responsibilities. Sister Phillips keeps us up-to-date
and has been good in helping us get on board with the program. She has told us
that last year at the last minute, there was no trouble getting those who
wanted to take the courses to sign up. We are excited about the program, and we
are praying that this year is no different.

On Thursday, it was
a quiet day that we spent working on our own genealogy and exploring some of
the things we don’t normally use on some of the programs. We had to do some
laundry also since we didn’t get to do it this past Monday.

That afternoon we went to Denise’s house to be
there while the missionaries taught her oldest children. It is a delight to
visit with her, although it can turn into several hours because of the
distractions. There are times when it is obvious that she cannot stay focused
on something for too long, but she is like a teenager in some of the things she
says. She is in her late 20s, but with the brain injury that she sustained, her
mind wanders, and you never know what she will say.

Her oldest boys
live with their father who is a member of the Church. I don’t believe he is
active, but she has indicated that he does not support her in joining the
Church. She wanted her boys to come to her baptism, and the father wouldn’t
bring them. Their grandparents are members, but they are older and somewhat
limited in getting to the Church. From what I can gather, the grandparents do
support Denise, and they have been the instruments in helping the boys get to
Church when they go.

The boys are 8, 10,
and 12, and unfortunately, they haven’t lived with Denise for several years.
When they come, they are wild, wild, wild, and they are not good listeners when
Denise tells them to do something. The youngest could use a dose of medicine as
far as I’m concerned. I don’t think I’ve seen a greater example of ADHD in a
while. The middle boy is bright, bright, and bright, while the oldest is quiet
and doesn’t openly get involved. When we got there, they Elders began teaching
a lesson out of the Book of Mormon, using the children’s book version.They were sitting around the kitchen table so
we pulled up a chair and got in on the lesson. Across from me the youngest boy
was balancing on his knees, the middle one was standing right next to me, and
the oldest was on his knees between the other two with his head just barely
above the table. Every question the Elders asked, the youngest screamed an
answer (not always the right one), and the middle one next to me would give the
correct answer. The oldest one never said anything (maybe he was used to not getting a word in
edgewise) unless he was spoken to directly. I asked the middle one some things
just to get a better feeling for his understanding and was just impressed with
what he knew. It was exhausting. I know why old people should not raise little
ones. We have neither the patience nor the stamina to keep up with them. I
remember chasing Cohen around the house just a few weeks ago, and by the time I
caught him, I was exhausted. I can still see him turning around looking at me
and laughing hysterically as I came after him. I used to be a pretty good
runner, but I’m afraid those days are fast receding into the background. Ellie
and Bentley would run and laugh and scream as I tried to catch them. I once
thought that there was no way children their ages could get away from me. I now
humbly recognized my error in judgment. They can and do run faster and can run
longer than I have the ability to keep up. If I didn’t go to the gym several
times a week, I’d turn to mush.

Friday came and
went. It was a light day, but I know we were involved in something that I
failed to put on the calendar. We went to the gym that morning, and then it ….
I must keep up with stuff.

We looked out our
front window, and for the first time, we saw that the leaves are beginning to
change colors. It is actually getting cool here. The weather has gotten nippy in
the morning, and many days are no hotter than the lower 70s.You know how the sunlight begins to look
different when fall is approaching. The days are not quite as bright as they
have been. Fall is coming and fast. I just look outside and think about the
start of school. I am so happy I’m not in the schools any longer. I do keep in
touch with a few of my fellow teachers, and from what they say, it makes me
glad I’m not there any longer. My old school has a new principal this year, and
a new superintendent that came in right after I left. Someone has decided that
since all the schools aren’t performing at the level they should, everyone has
to change. So Blackmon (my old school – which was the best in the district) has
changed their 5 class schedule (4 academic and 1 elective) to a 6 class
schedule. It means that every class is now 55 minutes instead of 70, and every
teacher has to teach an odd class at the end of the day. The teacher who took
my place now teaches a social studies class as her last class. Some teachers
have to teach their last class at another grade level. I would be miserable
with a schedule like this; I taught this way when I first began teaching, and
it was no fun. It’s the little things that make us happy, knowing that I don’t
have to get up every day to face 100+ kids and teach to each and every one in
their own distinctive learning style, while maintaining discipline, and keeping
enough paperwork on each one to fill a book every two months, . . . I could go
on and on, but I won’t. It is an unnecessary thought process that wears me
down.Hahahaha

Saturday was busy.
We had to get up early and help buy groceries for a brother who has been in
poor health lately. This brother has almost nothing to call his own, and when
we take him grocery shopping, he gets nothing but what he absolutely needs. We
often see pictures of those in our society who when they are offered help, they
will take and take and take, until their lives are dependent on help and not
their own abilities. Yet, here is a most humble man who is in need of help but
strives all the while to get to the point where he can help himself again. If
we were all more like him.

Before we left this
man’s house, we asked if he wanted to go to a baptism in another ward. The
person being baptized had been brought to the Church by him several years ago.
He was excited to go, but we had at least an hour before the baptism so we
dropped him off and drove around until we found a place to park and waited
until we could pick him up again to take him to the baptism. The woman who got
baptized is named Tubree. She has two children, one is 16 and the other is
about 6. Neither of the children came to the baptism. There were lots of people
there though, and it was fun to get to meet the people and be told that they
were responsible for introducing Tubree to the Church. President and Sister
Cutler were there, and they are the most gracious people. They never meet us
but what they say how grateful they are for our service in the mission. One
sister got up to give the opening prayer, and I thought she was the Relief
Society President. I mentioned to Elder Lenhard that she was the youngest RS
President I had ever seen. I teased her afterwards about how young she is, and
she told me she is 31. She just finished her master’s. She looks 15. I told her
she will be grateful for her youthful looks when she gets as old as I am. The
Sister who gave the talk on Baptism was the president. She is a Stewart by
marriage, and I feel like I need to talk with her husband about his family
history.

While at the
baptism, we met Bishop Canada. I introduced myself and mentioned that we had
just sent him an email regarding the Family History Consultants. He laughed and
said that since he now knew who we were he could feel better about sending us
the information. He is a really nice person, very friendly and obviously loves
the Ward he serves. He gave a great welcome to the Church talk, and I could see
how members would feel comfortable under his stewardship.

On Sunday, we
stayed in our branch. Elder Lenhard and I ended up teaching the Gospel
Principles class on Temple work. We have two Hmong families in the class. In
one family, the father does not speak English. He can understand some of it,
but he does not speak it. One of the Hmong Elders translates for him. I always
like to ask him questions, so an Elder translates the question, and then waits
until the brother answers him before he tells the class what is said. It takes
a long time to get an answer because they use many words for each of ours (or
maybe the Elder who is doing the translation just condenses it down to a few
words). However, every time he speaks, he has some really spiritual lesson to
teach all of us. The Hmong people are so interesting. They have no homeland. I
spoke to the Hmong sister who taught the RS lesson about doing Temple work. She
said it is so very hard to even try to do their families’ work because they
quickly get to a very short end. After a couple of generations, they don’t know
where to go with their work because these people have moved from country to
country without one of their own for several decades or longer. She said there
is such a lack of documentation because of their movements, they have no
records. It helps us understand that the time will come when they will know who
their ancestors are, and all about their lives. They are very close with
immediate family, so I’m sure they wish they knew more about their pasts.

After Church, we
waited around to give the last Temple Prep class to our young men, Kohl and
Xavier, who are going on a mission. It was a review of the things they have
already been taught. They planned to go to the Temple on the 14th,
then Kohl had to change it to the 13th because his parents couldn’t go on the 14th.We plan to go to the Temple with them.

On Monday, we took
the Sister Missionaries down to the Joan of Arc Chapel after they had written
to their parents and we had gone to the gym. I had to go pay the $2 I owed for
the pamphlet that Nelda (the docent) had given us. Of course, when I got there,
I had left the money in my other purse. I guess we will be going again.The Sisters enjoyed the Chapel as much as we
did. While we were there, a woman came in with two younger ladies. They had
some of the original armor that was worn during Joan’s time, and they were
there to take pictures of one of the girls dressed in the armor in that chapel.
The woman taking the pictures was writing some kind of paper on Joan and the
time period. Of course, we waited to see
it all happen. Elder Lenhard got a great picture of the girl kneeling in the
act of prayer.

After we left the Chapel,
we decided to go to see the Pabst mansion. Unfortunately, they wanted $9/person
to take a tour, and we decided to pass it by. It is a 20,000 sq. ft. home that
must have been quite a showplace in its heyday. Today, it is surrounded by some
sections of town that are not as upscale, and so you really don’t want to be
outside when the sun goes down in this part of town. The Elders in our Branch live just a block away, but you can see the mansion from their place.

Finally, Tuesday
brought Elder Martino of the Seventies and his wife to our District Meeting.
I’m still a little fuzzy on these meetings, but this one included all the
districts in our Zone. Elder Martino was
marvelous as he spoke to us about how we do missionary work. I will only give
some highlights of his teachings but just know that being taught by him was a
spiritual high.

Missionaries are called to an area for two reasons: (a) someone
in that area needs to be taught by that missionary and (b) there is
something the missionary needs to learn from the Mission President and his
wife.

From surveys that have been done (not in the Church), it has
been found that those in the 19-29 year old age range are the farthest
from any interest in religion. What are the age ranges for a missionary in
the Church?The Lord knows how to
help our young people stay close to him.

A talk was recently given by a sister in the Church (and I’ve
since seen this in LDS Living). She said, “this is a woman’s Church. It is
the only organization that helps me see who I am and what I can become.”

We must become agents unto ourselves to seek revelation. Our
mission helps us to prioritize our lives. When we go home, we go home with
power. In order to do this, we must have a change of heart, to become the
person he wants us to become to return to Him. This change of heart comes
by consecrating ourselves to His work and to be valiant in our testimonies
of Jesus Christ.

We must align ourselves with the Lord’s requirements: (a)
repent, (b) exercise faith, (c) do good works (again and again), and (d)
pray always – revelation is time sensitive. I especially love the last
one. When revelation comes, if we don’t act on it, time will run out and
we will have missed our opportunity.

So we leave you
with a few thoughts:

In reading the Book
of Mormon, we see there were a lot of little victories that helped the people
stay obedient. Now is not the time to rest, rest will come when the Lord says
the work is done. How sad we will be it at the last day we have become someone
we don’t want to be because of the simple decisions we have made in our lives.
Our preparation makes us acceptable to the Lord. When we are prepared, we need
not fear. Father expects us to be prepared so that he can use us.

Romans 10: 11, 13 –
Those who believe in Him shall not be ashamed and if we call on His name, we
will be saved.

Mosiah 4:27 – Do
not run faster than you have strength, but do not take this to mean you are off
the hook. You may not win the race, but if you want to win, then push yourself
harder than you think it possible. Success stories are made by those who work
the hardest.

3 comments:

Wow. Everytime I read your updates I get all excited and remind myself to pray for more missionary opportunities...then the same ole same ole until I read again. I really need to beef up my personal gospel studies...

I kid you not, preach my gospel is absolutely fabulous & will help you get into the spirit of missionary work!Bethanne, this really is the Lord's work. Use your fairh in Him. Let him guide your thoughts and actions. He wants to use you. You INVITE and the Holy Ghost teaches those who are searching with a sincere heart.

About Us

Elder Craig and Sister Linda Lenhard are most recently from Layton, Utah, and are currently serving for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as member support missionaries in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Craig was born in Flagstaff, Arizona and grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and Linda comes from the back hills of Virginia. The Lenhards were converted to the church soon after their marriage and have been faithful members ever since. They lived and raised their five children in Columbus, GA for 25+ years before relocating to Utah to prepare for their mission. They have been serving since April 14, 2014, and are excited to share their testimonies and knowledge of the gospel to the people of Wisconsin!